Senate Panel Votes For Nasa Cut

Shuttle Budget Would Not Change

Washington The Senate Appropriations Committee voted Thursday to slice $200 million from the 2004 budget for the international space station because of the uncertainty surrounding the project in the wake of the Feb. 1 loss of the space shuttle Columbia.

U.S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond, chairman of the subcommittee that oversees NASA's budget, said the cut reflects the reality of the station, with its construction on hold and operating on a reduced crew of two while the shuttle fleet is grounded.

"There are many constraints within this bill, and we must consider all the current usage of the funds vs. a program that is in some respects on hold," said Bond, R-Mo. "We will gladly reconsider this action as NASA and the administration present a plan that will restore the construction" of the space station.

The Senate bill, which totals $15.3 billion, is nearly $200 million less than the National Aeronautics and Space Administration requested in February and which was prepared before the Columbia accident.

The House version of the budget, which passed that chamber in late July, is for $15.5 billion. The fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

Both versions leave the shuttle budget unchanged, at $3.9 billion, while legislators wait for NASA and the White House to put a price tag on the cost of returning the remaining three shuttles to flight.

Safety modifications to the shuttles will be largely based on recommendations from the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, which released its report last week. Its chairman, retired Adm. Harold Gehman, repeated in testimony before the House Science Committee on Thursday that the board found budget constraints were a major issue for the shuttle program.

Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Bond's Democratic counterpart on the subcommittee, said the two had tried over the past several years to make shuttle safety a priority.

"What we want to do now is look at the Gehman commission, talk to NASA -- we need the support of the White House -- and then we'll move forward again to make sure the Gehman commission recommendations are implemented," said Mikulski, D-Md.

NASA spokesman Bob Jacobs said the agency will continue to work closely with legislators as budget negotiations continue.

"It's too early to react to any single action during this phase of the budget process," he said.

Earlier Thursday, the House Science Committee heard from Gehman, as well as three other members of the panel: James Hallock, Sheila Widnall and Air Force Gen. Kenneth Hess.

Legislators praised the board's report and asked Gehman and the others to help them with their oversight role as NASA works to comply with the board's recommendations. U.S. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R-N.Y., the committee's chairman, said he would like the board to reconvene in a year to evaluate NASA's progress.

The questioning revealed divergent views on possible NASA funding increases. Rep. Nick Lampson, a Texas Democrat whose district includes Johnson Space Center in Houston, said the report suggested to him that providing the agency with enough money was a priority.

"I read your report to say that NASA must see significant reform, the agency must develop a vision for the future and that the administration and Congress must provide NASA with adequate funding levels," Lampson said. Gehman said the board did not consider costs in its recommendations.

Gwyneth K. Shaw can be reached at gshaworlandosentinel.com or 202-824-8229.